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Microstock Photography Forum - General => General Stock Discussion => Topic started by: namussi on July 12, 2018, 04:02

Title: Are there any agencies left that are loved?
Post by: namussi on July 12, 2018, 04:02
Negative comments on this forum outweigh positive.

Are there any agencies left that contributors admire or enjoy doing business with?
Title: Re: Are there any agencies left that are loved?
Post by: Justanotherphotographer on July 12, 2018, 04:28
Looking across my list of some 30 agencies I have ever uploaded to it is easier to name the ones I don't like. Only really IStock/Getty, Depositphotos, Bigstock and Vectorstock. All the others I have nothing against.

There are plenty I am disappointed in with regards to sales but that's different to actually disliking them for their predatory behavior/ dishonesty.

Up until the takeover I admired GL, even though they never made big money, because they actually made a point of communicating with contributors and giving a decent percentage of sales.

ETA, actually BS probably doesn't belong on that list, paying low isn't really a reason to hate them, just a reason not to work with them.
Title: Re: Are there any agencies left that are loved?
Post by: Noedelhap on July 12, 2018, 04:35
Almost every agency did some things to contributors that are considered unprofessional or downright unethical, but nowhere near as bad as Getty/iStock and Depositphotos.

So despite each agencies' flaws, I still enjoy working with Fotolia/AdobeStock, Shutterstock, Storyblocks and Pond5.
Title: Re: Are there any agencies left that are loved?
Post by: jjneff on July 12, 2018, 05:59
I love Pond5, VideoBlocks and Adobe the most!
Title: Re: Are there any agencies left that are loved?
Post by: AlessandraRC on July 12, 2018, 07:55
Alamy is my favorite. They are nice and helpful when I need help. My top earner so far. And there are more types of images that I can upload.
Title: Re: Are there any agencies left that are loved?
Post by: derek on July 12, 2018, 08:00
Alamy is my favorite. They are nice and helpful when I need help. My top earner so far. And there are more types of images that I can upload.

yes nice and helpful but piss poor revenues!  excuse my language!
Title: Re: Are there any agencies left that are loved?
Post by: createstock on July 12, 2018, 08:11
Videohive Exclusive is the best for me. I have nearly 1700 movies and regularly sells around $ 1000 a month. On shutterstock, pond5, storyblock, fotolia. I certainly would earn half as much. I once put 100 movies to these agencies and I did not have any sales. I had only sales on Videohive Exlusiv.
Title: Re: Are there any agencies left that are loved?
Post by: MicroVet on July 12, 2018, 10:14
I think that Alamy and Fotolia/Adobe are the ones that I "like" the most. But, as it has been said before they all have disappointed the contributors.

Depositphotos, for example, is downright dishonest.

After the scandal of images being sold by distributors for $30 as a single sale but paid to contributors like a subscription, I've taken knowledge of a contributor that demanded to be taken out of the distribution scheme which DP confirmed. But a few years later that contributor realized that DP blatantly lied to him and never took his portfolio out of the Distribution deal.
Title: Re: Are there any agencies left that are loved?
Post by: stockastic on July 12, 2018, 10:19
I gave up on stock and closed all my accounts except Alamy.  They're far from perfect, but they haven't been a part of the methodical trashing of the business carried out by 'agencies' like SS.  I still have a sale at Alamy once in a while, and I get a few dollars for it, which is fine.
Title: Re: Are there any agencies left that are loved?
Post by: YadaYadaYada on July 13, 2018, 14:06
Almost every agency did some things to contributors that are considered unprofessional or downright unethical, but nowhere near as bad as Getty/iStock and Depositphotos.

So despite each agencies' flaws, I still enjoy working with Fotolia/AdobeStock, Shutterstock, Storyblocks and Pond5.

Never loved any of them, never hated other bad agencies as much as IS and DP.

Add Alamy to the good to work for list, but low earnings. Adobe is climbing and improving. SS makes me the most money.
Title: Re: Are there any agencies left that are loved?
Post by: mlwp on July 13, 2018, 23:01
Stocksy.   :)
Title: Re: Are there any agencies left that are loved?
Post by: ShadySue on July 14, 2018, 02:29
Stocksy.   :)
Warm fuzzies to be in the 'in' group.
(NB, I never applied)
Title: Re: Are there any agencies left that are loved?
Post by: Justanotherphotographer on July 14, 2018, 07:36
Stocksy.   :)
Not on Stocksy but love what they are doing and applaud the coop contributor driven model. Long live stocksy!